Inexpensive panel cutting helper

pugilato

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Mar 31, 2011
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I have been wanting to make a panel cutting helper for a while to fit my existing tools and which is easy to move around, as I dont at present have a workshop. Something that will work with my sawhorses and MFT3. So here it is... 1x4's with slip dados (or whatever they might be called). It is a very tight fit on the MFT and a tap with a rubber mallet is needed. If I want to install it on the saw horses, I slide the inside cross members to the inside slots. A 1" piece of foam makes for a nice surface. Total cost, $15 with a couple of hours thrown in to cut the slots. Surprisingly, the thing works pretty well.

Here is a pic of the gizmo installed on the MFT, and a drawing with dimensions. Now if I could only figure out something that I can lay the panels on to swing them on the cutting surface.

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pugilato said:
Now if I could only figure out something that I can lay the panels on to swing them on the cutting surface.

Cheap solution... get a nice stiff piece of PVC, cut it in half and use a drywall lift handle to slide it "up" the PVC and onto the table.  I have used that setup in the past.  a little goes a long way!!

Cheers
 
I'm gonna build this but add a 3rd long member so I can use it on any table even those 3x8  plastic foldup tables  from Costco that serve as my general use tables
I feel a 3rd long member would give me  a  better center support heck you could just a 4th as well & then do small long cuts as as well .
 
pugilato said:
I have been wanting to make a panel cutting helper for a while to fit my existing tools and which is easy to move around, as I dont at present have a workshop. Something that will work with my sawhorses and MFT3. So here it is... 1x4's with slip dados (or whatever they might be called). It is a very tight fit on the MFT and a tap with a rubber mallet is needed. If I want to install it on the saw horses, I slide the inside cross members to the inside slots. A 1" piece of foam makes for a nice surface. Total cost, $15 with a couple of hours thrown in to cut the slots. Surprisingly, the thing works pretty well.

Here is a pic of the gizmo installed on the MFT, and a drawing with dimensions. Now if I could only figure out something that I can lay the panels on to swing them on the cutting surface.

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That's a neat idea, well done. Not sure how you have fixed the boards to the MFT 3, could you please clarify?
 
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